As we continue trying to identify the gaps between an academic approach to training and what industry needs. I find there are a great number of people from Post Secondary needing additional training after School, College, or University to get proper employment, and that trades are not respected among youth as they should be. They are disillusioned in the requirements skilled people need to become ready for field work or other. Being well aware of how good connections between different components of the system are crucial for system stability and functionality. Companies at one time, here and or abroad were working with high schools and Universities to get the profiles they needed. However, something had changed and the need for an evolution or revolution in education and skills training will happen only if “INDUSTRY RECOGNIZES IT'S OWN INTELLIGENT INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT” such as the one being proposed and supported in the link below, and all of our other supporting links at the end of this article posting. Developing the interest at a young age through to grade 12 is a great idea as indicated by our Former Ontario Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton. Stating that, "Ending that stigma starts in the schools at a young age. That’s why Skills Ontario’s work is crucial. Kids need the exposure. Skills Ontario is doing a great job in developing and delivering support materials, including videos, VR tools, publications and web-based programming,” McNaughton said.
Pure science and research are for a minority of people willing to devote their lifetime too, and due to growing population even that small percent is too much than Universities can host and provide jobs for (pushing the envelope of illusion). It truly is disgusting seeing many ambitious talented people disillusioned and frustrated not reaching their potential. There are NO degrees that can offer the experience, knowledge and critical thought that comes out of "Practice Based Knowledge". We need this "New Institutional Model" far across all trades and fields. As an example many of you have experienced the many engineers that come out of the university without a day of proper work experience where at one time it was a prerequisite as expressed throughout our other blog article postings. They might have some office hours but most of them end up pushing papers. And within other more interdisciplinary fields is even worse. It takes years, after University, for students to generate adequate mentorship and experience to get a job, (such a waste) but not all was lost they did manage to create enormous amounts of (Debt) along the way. And where many unfortunately switch to some alternative careers or have to take one more year of post-graduate training achieving (More Debt).
Past practice, high schools gave enough to get into the workforce and grow at the work place. Now people with University degrees have trouble finding their place. “This should not happen”. There should not be such an enormous gap between education, industry and policy makers? This creates delays and conflicts, lack of productivity, plus high mobility of people from job to job leaving us without experience, consistency and deep learning (perhaps this is what industry wants)? There are many good practices that can be adapted to new work environments nothing more direct than what is being proposed within this New Industry Based College Development. To prosper people need stability and continuity, not where one gets a job today, only to start searching for another one tomorrow, "A Start and Finish Delivery Model is Key". Our continuous engagement and perseverance pursuing the development of this new sustainable institution is because we need to bridge generations and learn from our past.
Such as this article posted within a few of our earlier Blog/Article/Posting called, “AD&P February 2005, Are You Experienced; expressed many deep concerns, such as “Deep Smarts Constitutes Practice Based Wisdom” and "Experience Defines Us Professionally" especially in those fields in which "Practice is Critical", and where the authors point out that the people need to "Practice Their Area Of Expertise”.
It’s truly amazing how long people recognized this, and still many industries avoid "discipline on the job training". I can’t express the number of young people I have met through the years with so much ambition compounded with frustration and disillusion in a system that does nothing but hinder their pursuit in achieving their goals. Youth having no experience and no other obligations, such as family etc. is a prime time attraction to embrace their development. The attraction of this type of Industry Based College engagement can help individuals prosper in reaching Journeyman Trade Certification and more. More and more companies are relying on HR which ticks the boxes and makes it impossible to judge fine talent within potential workers. This kills professions and we are losing skilled workers. But yet, all the time we hear about "Leaders of the Future" but whom will they lead?
If everyone is a leader what will be done? Undermining the value of the skilled work and only glorifying manager positions ruins the system. If a car runs well no one is worried, but if something happens everyone wants the best, but how do we create the best? It is indeed amazing how we push innovation and technology and forgetting the need of adapting new ways to improve human resources that support the technologies and innovation. We require growth within the private sector and recruiting new "Solutions Not Illusions" to align us with the growing pressures to preserve our environment and culture. That in it's self draws upon the essential skills that are developed within the Skilled Trades to address things such as catastrophes etc...
At the same time our education system is lagging behind focusing too much on producing degrees rather than empowering people and providing them with skills and critical thought to adapt to our changing labour markets and strengthening our country. The Life-Long Learning concept once was an idea and now it is a reality. To be current and useful as a worker one would have to invest in continuous and accountable practice based training and learning. Our current educational system is not equipped neither capable to provide adequate support. "WE ARE". If we want to implement principles of unobjectionable accountability then we have to have people who are able to repair and reuse, adjust and adapt to tools, buildings, clothes, vehicles, everything and anything?
Our current attitude to go and buy a new one instead of focusing on repairing it left us with a huge gap and a lack of skilled workers that have the knowledge and the knowhow to do these things. We need people who will re-purpose materials and where "Critical Thought Isn't Always Found In University". We cannot expect that every person has to have a PhD., A Masters Degree, or other. Above everything we need to change our Social Attitudes and bring respect back to workers and acknowledge people with skills and value them? Alongside this New Industry Based College Development that delivers our future and opens the minds of our students. It is with great disappointment knowing how managers and human resources are neglecting the true values required in the development of the skilled and educated workers?
I never realized the magnitude of the "LEASH" put upon the citizens of our country as I see today and the problem is clearly stated in this next article.
Globe & Mail - Date 200? - Universities Becoming Money Machines – This is a major challenge from 20 to 30 years ago when the pursuit of knowledge and education were the main item on the agenda. They are equipped to file patents, to develop licensing arrangements, to provide real-state, for development and to help establish new companies all with the eyes on the money. We are witnessing a race to acquire intellectual property rights that will generate money. It is getting out of hand, and other important values are being neglected both at the individual staff level, where professors are distracted from research and teaching by the lure of money, and at the institutional level where the captains of the corporate world are pursued and coddled with great affection than our leading academics. But today most of the money comes from the private sector. Governments encouraged that shift, partly by offering tax incentives for investments in research and development partly by expanding the scope of intellectual property rights.
Summary
As stated above “Identifying the Gaps” that industry needs is clearly stated in “Stop Academia? That In Itself Is A Problem"? Academia has created a "Leash" that reflects their Critical Thought, Not the Critical Thought needed by industry and that of the people. Now we know why Post Secondary is in need of additional training after their schooling they have been disillusioned in their requirements as skilled people and need to become ready for field work or other? Why? Is Tertiary education not called what it is? Tertiary, it is expressed as "Third Level". Big Question? So just when and how does the "World Bank" Fit Into "Defining Tertiary Education" as including universities as well as trade schools and colleges? However; understanding and being well aware of how good connections between different components of the system are crucial for system stability and functionality. However, something had changed drastically in achieving the profiles required for our country and our industry to survive. The need now for an "evolutionary revolution" of education and skills training is imminent, when “AN INDUSTRY INTELLIGENT INSTITUTION” is developed as described and delivered for the people that benefits industry and our country not "illusion-al practices" presented within the world of academia. Developing the interest at a young age through to grade 12 is a great idea so “Why” was it removed in the first place? Delivering support materials are a given, what's needed is what’s “REAL” there is nothing real in VR tools.
Below is a list of 8 supporting links of interest including our Resent Survey in case you had missed it. Please enjoy the read, and hopefully your support, in this much needed Institutional Development by contacting your Local, Provincial, and Federal MPPs, the Chamber of Commerce, and share with your Family and Friends. Thank You.
Below are 13 more links that reflect our many concerns
https://www.chathamdailynews.ca/news/local-news/ontario-wants-more-students-to-choose-skilled-trades
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